Magnifying God with Thanksgiving…

1 The Mighty One, God the LORD,

Has spoken and called the earth

From the rising of the sun to its going down.

2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,

God will shine forth.

3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent;

A fire shall devour before Him,

And it shall be very tempestuous all around Him.

4 He shall call to the heavens from above,

And to the earth, that He may judge His people:

5 "Gather My saints together to Me,

Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice."

6 Let the heavens declare His righteousness,

For God Himself is Judge.

Selah

7 "Hear, O My people, and I will speak,

O Israel, and I will testify against you;

I am God, your God!

8 I will not rebuke you for your sacrifices

Or your burnt offerings,

Which are continually before Me.

9 I will not take a bull from your house,

Nor goats out of your folds.

10 For every beast of the forest is Mine,

And the cattle on a thousand hills.

11 I know all the birds of the mountains,

And the wild beasts of the field are Mine.

12 "If I were hungry, I would not tell you;

For the world is Mine, and all its fullness.

13 Will I eat the flesh of bulls,

Or drink the blood of goats?

14 Offer to God thanksgiving,

And pay your vows to the Most High.

15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble;

I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me."

16 But to the wicked God says:

"What right have you to declare My statutes,

Or take My covenant in your mouth,

17 Seeing you hate instruction

And cast My words behind you?

18 When you saw a thief, you consented with him,

And have been a partaker with adulterers.

19 You give your mouth to evil,

And your tongue frames deceit.

20 You sit and speak against your brother;

You slander your own mother's son.

21 These things you have done, and I kept silent;

You thought that I was altogether like you;

But I will rebuke you,

And set them in order before your eyes.

22 "Now consider this, you who forget God,

Lest I tear you in pieces,

And there be none to deliver:

23 Whoever offers praise glorifies Me;

And to him who orders his conduct aright

I will show the salvation of God."—Psalm 50

The Hebrew word for thank offerings is todah, from the verb yadah, “to acknowledge, thank.” Such an offering could not be given unless the offerer had experienced God’s work on his behalf. If he was in distress and called on God, the Lord would answer. —Walvoord

We cannot give God anything because He owns it all. Anything we could offer in sacrifice to Him, He already owns. Thankfully, God doesn’t want our gifts or our empty ritual.  God wants us. He wants our worship…our sacrifices of thanksgiving…to be from hearts that are genuinely devoted to trusting Him.  It is at this juncture that our thanksgiving offerings are accepted because they come from a believing heart that has cried out to Him in faith and has experienced His help and deliverance.  It is our faith…our crying out to Him in our day of trouble…that pleases Him and honors Him.   

Beloved…we glorify God by being delivered by Him.  It is very hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that my God really desires that I come to Him for help.  It goes against my ingrained habit of never wanting to bother or burden anyone.  But our God bids us to come. So be a burden…be a bother…cry out to Your God and experience His glorious sustaining and delivering grace. 

The OT sacrificial system pointed forward to Christ. His was the ultimate and final sacrifice that truly took away the sins of the world.  Beloved…Glorify God by trusting Him…not only at the moment when you first believed but also every moment thereafter. 

28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."—Matthew 11:28-30

29 But I am poor and sorrowful;

Let Your salvation, O God, set me up on high.

30 I will praise the name of God with a song,

And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.—Psalm 69:29-30

14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.—Hebrews 4:14-16

14 knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.—2 Corinthians 4:14-15

Hear the words of Jesus in John 4:

23 But a time is coming and is already here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit [from the heart, the inner self] and in truth; for the Father seeks such people to be His worshipers. 24 God is spirit [the Source of life, yet invisible to mankind], and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

Hear My Cry!

 1 Hear my prayer, O LORD,

Give ear to my supplications!

In Your faithfulness answer me,

And in Your righteousness.

2 Do not enter into judgment with Your servant,

For in Your sight no one living is righteous.

3 For the enemy has persecuted my soul;

He has crushed my life to the ground;

He has made me dwell in darkness,

Like those who have long been dead.

4 Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me;

My heart within me is distressed.

5 I remember the days of old;

I meditate on all Your works;

I muse on the work of Your hands.

6 I spread out my hands to You;

My soul longs for You like a thirsty land.

Selah

7 Answer me speedily, O LORD;

My spirit fails!

Do not hide Your face from me,

Lest I be like those who go down into the pit.

8 Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning,

For in You do I trust;

Cause me to know the way in which I should walk,

For I lift up my soul to You.

9 Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies;

In You I take shelter.

10 Teach me to do Your will,

For You are my God;

Your Spirit is good.

Lead me in the land of uprightness.

11 Revive me, O LORD, for Your name's sake!

For Your righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble.

12 In Your mercy cut off my enemies,

And destroy all those who afflict my soul;

For I am Your servant.—Psalm 143

Psalm 143 is a prayer for deliverance and guidance. David’s complaint is found in verse 3 and 4. 

3 For the enemy has persecuted my soul;

He has crushed my life to the ground;

He has made me dwell in darkness,

Like those who have long been dead.

4 Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me;

My heart within me is distressed.

David was dealing here with flesh and blood enemies. I don’t know about you, but I don’t need to be surrounded by real life enemies to feel overwhelmed and crushed to the ground. My own flesh knows how to accomplish this feat pretty well. Even the mildest threat of loss can fill me and imprison me in the darkness of my own fear and anxiety.  The older I get the more aware I am of how easily life can change. The more people I love, the more multiplied my fear of loss. 

So what do I do to break free?  The same things that David does.  I cling to my all powerful, all knowing, everywhere present God who dwells in me and I pray.  He WILL hear me. I meditate on His mighty and marvelous works and contemplate His goodness and mercy that have never…no, not ever, failed me. I remember what He has already accomplished in my life. I remember His kindness and His steadfast, loyal love.  I lift up my soul to Him and place all that I am in His hands.  He is good and does good. My faith rekindles and my weakened spirit strengthened. 

Father…In You I take shelter.  Oh, help me to trust You!  Unite my heart to fear Your name!  Strengthen my faith!  Surround me with Your love, lead me in right paths and rescue me from the enemies of my soul…they are too strong for me. Teach me by Your Spirit and preserve me through this life.   You are the God of my righteousness. 

I Am Helped…

 I cry out to the LORD with my voice;

With my voice to the LORD I make my supplication.

2 I pour out my complaint before Him;

I declare before Him my trouble.

3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me,

Then You knew my path.

In the way in which I walk

They have secretly set a snare for me.

4 Look on my right hand and see,

For there is no one who acknowledges me;

Refuge has failed me;

No one cares for my soul.

5 I cried out to You, O LORD:

I said, "You are my refuge,

My portion in the land of the living.

6 Attend to my cry,

For I am brought very low;

Deliver me from my persecutors,

For they are stronger than I.

7 Bring my soul out of prison,

That I may praise Your name;

The righteous shall surround me,

For You shall deal bountifully with me."—Psalm 142

In the midst of trial and trouble, I have found that no greater comfort can be found than in praying through the word of God...especially through the Psalms.  This particular psalm was written when David was in a cave hiding from Saul and his minions.  Now I have never prayed from the depths and the darkness of a cave, but I have been in some very dark places physically, emotionally and spiritually and prayer ALWAYS makes my night season light about me.  Praying brings my soul out of its prison and enlightens my eyes to see my God’s good and sovereign hand on my life. 

This effect of prayer on my heart and my mind doesn’t last forever, nor does it usually  change my circumstances, but it does change me a little more each and every time I lift up my empty and helpless hands to Him.  Prayer for me rights my thinking and makes room for the Spirit of God to transform me more and more into His image. As I behold Him and turn my heart upside down before Him...leaving all of what is poured out in His capable hands...my heart is lightened and my countenance changes. Joy mixed with relief fills my heart, because I remember that I am not sufficient. My God wants to relieve me of my burdens.  He wants me to bring them to Him always. 

What a gift we have in being able to come boldly to His throne of grace to obtain mercy and grace to help in our time of need.  God is for us...He is on our side...He fights for us.  We stand in His grace and favor...He WILL deal bountifully with us.  There is so much in life that is just too big and too hard for me.  My heart can be overwhelmed so easily.  How wonderful to know that He knows my path and the way in which I walk.  My God can and will handle all that comes my way.  I can trust Him in my good times, but I can especially trust Him when my heart is brought low or when refuge has failed me and like the psalmist, I feel that no one cares for my soul.  Oh Lord, I have trusted in Your mercy...Your unfailing, grace giving and never changing love, and I am helped.  

The Fear of Man…

 The fear of man brings a snare,

But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.—Proverbs 29:25

Many seek the ruler’s favor,

But justice for man comes from the LORD.—Proverbs 29:26

Beloved…We are secure in Christ. Trusting in Him removes the fear and intimidation that man brings. The word fear “tremble” in 29:25 is not the same word used for reverence of God. When we fear man it brings a snare in that we are now controlled by the very person we dreaded.  The words “shall be safe” or “is kept safe” are from the verb sagav, “to be inaccessibly high or to be exalted.” How much better it is to trust in the Lord…to do as David examples in 2 Samuel 24:14.

And David said to Gad, "I am in great distress. Please let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man."

And NOT as Abraham did:

10 Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land. 11 And it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, "Indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance. 12 Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, 'This is his wife'; and they will kill me, but they will let you live. 13 Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I may live because of you."—Genesis 12:10-13

And again in Chapter 20 of Genesis

And Abraham journeyed from there to the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar. 2 Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, "She is my sister." And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.

The name of the LORD is a strong tower;

The righteous run to it and are safe.—Proverbs 18:10

 

I thought verse 26 was a good companion to verse 25 because it illustrates its point.  Many seek a ruler’s favor for oh so many reasons, all of which have selfishness at the center. Here is the thing though, when we do this we have no guarantee that things will work out in our favor or that justice will be done.  Worse, we have now ensnared ourself to the very one we dreaded. Not wise.  Beloved…God is the source of true justice. He is the one who will make perfect that which concerns you. Commit yourself to Him who judges righteously. 

He Who Has An Ear…

 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.  22 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches—Revelation 3:20-22

Beloved…Christ pictured Himself as standing outside our door and knocking. The Amplified Bible says it this way. 

Behold, I stand at the door [of the church] and continually knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him (restore him), and he with Me.

Sadly, there are often many times during each and every day that I leave my Jesus on the outside of my life even while He continues to knock.  Without Christ I can do nothing good.  With Christ on the outside there can be no fellowship, no grace and no joy.  The context of Jesus’ words here are to believers…to churches that bear His name.  Oh that we, even as believers, would “continually” recognize our need and open the door of our hearts to Him just as we did that very first time..by faith.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches (emphasis mine)

Father…Give me that one desire that David speaks of in Psalm 27.  I want a deeper intimacy with You.  Without You I am spiritually bankrupt…I want…I need…Your continual Presence in my life. Give me ears to hear and the desire and the will to respond when I do. Fill me with Your fullness.

One thing I have asked of the LORD, and that I will seek:

That I may dwell in the house of the LORD [in His presence] all the days of my life,  To gaze upon the beauty [the delightful loveliness and majestic grandeur] of the LORD

And to meditate in His temple.—Psalm 27:4

You Are My God…

 6 I said to the LORD: “You are my God;

Hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.

7 O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation,

You have covered my head in the day of battle.

8 Do not grant, O LORD, the desires of the wicked;

Do not further his wicked scheme,

Lest they be exalted.

Selah

9 “As for the head of those who surround me,

Let the evil of their lips cover them;

10 Let burning coals fall upon them;

Let them be cast into the fire,

Into deep pits, that they rise not up again.

11 Let not a slanderer be established in the earth;

Let evil hunt the violent man to overthrow him.”

12 I know that the LORD will maintain

The cause of the afflicted,

And justice for the poor.

13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name;

The upright shall dwell in Your presence.—Psalm 140:6-13

6 I said to the LORD: “You are my God;

Hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.

Father….Help me to do as David does here when trials, enemies and hardships abound and surround. Help me to cry out and fortify myself in You! Oh, Father may my troubles strengthen my relationship with You and draw me ever nearer to Your heart of love. 

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation;

Whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the strength of my life;

Of whom shall I be afraid?

.—Psalm 27:1

7 O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation,

You have covered my head in the day of battle.

You, Father, are the God of my strength. In You, I hope all the day long. You are my refuge and my very present help in time of trouble.   

1 I will love You, O LORD, my strength.

2 The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;

My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;

My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;

So shall I be saved from my enemies.—Psalm 18

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—Ephesians 6:14-18

You have given me the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is Your very word. Help me to renew my mind with the knowledge that You have chosen me before the foundation of the world. I am Yours. You are with me in whatever I face and wherever I go. You will never forsake me. 

8 Do not grant, O LORD, the desires of the wicked;

Do not further his wicked scheme,

Lest they be exalted.

Selah

9 “As for the head of those who surround me,

Let the evil of their lips cover them;

10 Let burning coals fall upon them;

Let them be cast into the fire,

Into deep pits, that they rise not up again.

11 Let not a slanderer be established in the earth;

Let evil hunt the violent man to overthrow him.”

Oh Lord…Help me to remember that I do not wrestle against flesh and blood…May my weapon of choice be prayer.

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.—2 Corinthians 10:3-6

12 I know that the LORD will maintain

The cause of the afflicted,

And justice for the poor.

13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name;

The upright shall dwell in Your presence.

I know that my Redeemer lives!  How my heart yearns within me! Your favor, O Lord, is for life. Weeping may endure for a night,

but joy comes in the morning. Why are you cast down, O my soul?

And why are you disquieted within me?  Hope in God;  for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Beloved…Psalm 18 is perfect here.  Read it through and be encouraged…

1 I will love You, O LORD, my strength.

2 The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;

My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;

My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;

So shall I be saved from my enemies.

4 The pangs of death surrounded me,

And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid.

5 The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me;

The snares of death confronted me.

6 In my distress I called upon the LORD,

And cried out to my God;

He heard my voice from His temple,

And my cry came before Him, even to His ears.

7 Then the earth shook and trembled;

The foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken,

Because He was angry.

8 Smoke went up from His nostrils,

And devouring fire from His mouth;

Coals were kindled by it.

9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down

With darkness under His feet.

10 And He rode upon a cherub, and flew;

He flew upon the wings of the wind.

11 He made darkness His secret place;

His canopy around Him was dark waters

And thick clouds of the skies.

12 From the brightness before Him,

His thick clouds passed with hailstones and coals of fire.

13 The LORD thundered from heaven,

And the Most High uttered His voice,

Hailstones and coals of fire.

14 He sent out His arrows and scattered the foe,

Lightnings in abundance, and He vanquished them.

15 Then the channels of the sea were seen,

The foundations of the world were uncovered

At Your rebuke, O LORD,

At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.

16 He sent from above, He took me;

He drew me out of many waters.

17 He delivered me from my strong enemy,

From those who hated me,

For they were too strong for me.

18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,

But the LORD was my support.

19 He also brought me out into a broad place;

He delivered me because He delighted in me.

20 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness;

According to the cleanness of my hands

He has recompensed me.

21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD,

And have not wickedly departed from my God.

22 For all His judgments were before me,

And I did not put away His statutes from me.

23 I was also blameless before Him,

And I kept myself from my iniquity.

24 Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness,

According to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.

25 With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful;

With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless;

26 With the pure You will show Yourself pure;

And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd.

27 For You will save the humble people,

But will bring down haughty looks.

28 For You will light my lamp;

The LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.

29 For by You I can run against a troop,

By my God I can leap over a wall.

30 As for God, His way is perfect;

The word of the LORD is proven;

He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

31 For who is God, except the LORD?

And who is a rock, except our God?

32 It is God who arms me with strength,

And makes my way perfect.

33 He makes my feet like the feet of deer,

And sets me on my high places.

34 He teaches my hands to make war,

So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

35 You have also given me the shield of Your salvation;

Your right hand has held me up,

Your gentleness has made me great.

36 You enlarged my path under me,

So my feet did not slip.

37 I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them;

Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed.

38 I have wounded them,

So that they could not rise;

They have fallen under my feet.

39 For You have armed me with strength for the battle;

You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.

40 You have also given me the necks of my enemies,

So that I destroyed those who hated me.

41 They cried out, but there was none to save;

Even to the LORD, but He did not answer them.

42 Then I beat them as fine as the dust before the wind;

I cast them out like dirt in the streets.

43 You have delivered me from the strivings of the people;

You have made me the head of the nations;

A people I have not known shall serve me.

44 As soon as they hear of me they obey me;

The foreigners submit to me.

45 The foreigners fade away,

And come frightened from their hideouts.

46 The LORD lives!

Blessed be my Rock!

Let the God of my salvation be exalted.

47 It is God who avenges me,

And subdues the peoples under me;

48 He delivers me from my enemies.

You also lift me up above those who rise against me;

You have delivered me from the violent man.

49 Therefore I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the Gentiles,

And sing praises to Your name.

50 Great deliverance He gives to His king,

And shows mercy to His anointed,

To David and his descendants forevermore.